Local Golf Report: Gilman to guide HHS golf teams

Playoffs spots, a big scramble and the nearing of the high school golf season. Those are things that will happen when July turns to August this week.

This week marks the final week of Wednesday night men’s league regular season golf at Prairie Farms, and the playoff race is heating up. There’s a final scramble for the four remaining spots Wednesday night with only two of the current top four teams already having locked up playoff berths in the first half of the season. Meanwhile, a mere 10 points separates first-place Valley Furniture and last-place Property West in the Wednesday night standings, so the race couldn’t get much closer.

The Tuesday night standings have Wagner Plumbing currently in first place with 111 points, while just 10 points separates them and eight-place Northern Edge.

Last Tuesday night in men’s league at Prairie Farms Golf Course saw Kyle Sheppard fire a sizzling 3-under-par 33 to earn low-gross honors. Low net went to Brett Normandy with a 29, while Wagner Plumbing won high team with 22 points. The team is composed of Dan Wagner, Barry Zanto, Greg Baltrusch and Russ Earl.

Wednesday night, Jordy Donoven, Jeremy Jensen and Eric Fee each shot 37 to share low gross. Chad Edgar was low net with a 29.5 and D.A. Davidson scored 23 points to earn high-team honors. The team was made up of Zanto, Donoven, Frank Peterson and Ric Floren.

In women’s league action Thursday night at Prairie Farms, D.A. Davidson scored 24.5 points to win high team. The team was made up of Patsy Divish, Paula Sheppard, Shari Baltrusch and Katie Heath. Anna Toner had a great night as she won low gross with a 40, and was low net with a 31.

After taking last weekend off, the tournament slate heats back up at Prairie Farms this weekend with the annual Northern Montana Health Care FD Tournament, which will take place Saturday. The tournament is a four-person, 18-hole scramble and is always one of the most challenging and most well-attended tournaments of the golf season.

And while league golf and tournaments will wind down over the next few weeks at area golf courses, that doesn’t mean things will slow down. Not only is summer in full swing, but the Class A high school golf season will begin in just a few weeks. The first day for golf practice for the Havre Blue Ponies is set for Aug. 15, and the Ponies will host the Havre Tournament at Prairie Farms Aug. 20.

A reminder to any golfers wishing to compete in high school golf this upcoming season, you must have a sports physical completed before Aug. 15.

There is a new head coach at HHS, in the form of longtime golfer and Havre resident Brett Gilman. “Gilly” as we like to call him, isn’t just an outstanding golfer, and one who has been known around Havre for his montstrous drives, he’s also a student of the game of golf and, of course, of golf courses. He’s been the superintendent at Beaver Creek Golf Course and now Prairie Farms, and his knowledge of both the game and of courses themselves makes him a perfect fit to be a high school golf course.

I for one couldn’t think of a better choice to lead the Blue Ponies this fall, and I want to congratulate him on his new endeavor and wish him good luck with the upcoming season.

Prairie Farms Golf Standings

Men's League

Tuesday Night

1. Wagner Plumbing 111

2. Bing ‘N’ Bob’s 97.5

3. Stockman Bank 96.5

4. Tilleman Motors 95.5

5. Korb Construction 95

6. Hole 19 94.5

7. Prairie Farms 93.5

8. Northern Edge 90

9. Spencer’s Hi-Way Bar 88.5

10. Hi-Line Drilling 87

11. Rock Solid 82

12. Havre Muffler 79

13. Patrick Construction 76

14. Schubert Insurance 75

15. Bosch, Kuhr, Dugdale 74.5

Wednesday Night

1. Valley Furniture 115.5

2. Taco John’s 112.5

3. Michelob Light 112

4. Master Sports 112

5. Waddell & Reed 110.5

6. Bear Paw Credit Union 109

7. D.A. Davison 109

8. Mariani Insurance 107.5

9. Hi-Line Audio Video 106.5

10. Havre Ford 106

11. Independence Bank 100

12. Property West 95

Women's League

Team Standings:

1. Golden Spike 148

2. D.A. Davidson 132

3. Havre Heating & A/C 118

4. Independent Inspection Co. 110

5. Patrick Construction 108

6. Independence Bank 106

7. Prairie Farms 104.5

8. Northern MT Hospital 99

9. Western Drug 79